New Zealand Services cricket team in England in 1945
Encyclopedia
A New Zealand Services cricket team played several matches in England in the 1945 season. Only one match, against H.D.G. Leveson-Gower's XI at Scarborough, was counted as first-class
, but several of the one- and two-day matches were written up in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
for 1946, and the team played three times at Lord's.
The side was captained by Ken James
, who had toured England as a wicketkeeper with the 1927
and 1931
New Zealand teams, and played for Northamptonshire
in the late 1930s as a professional. Other former and future Test
players in the team at different times included Stewie Dempster, Ted Badcock
, Martin Donnelly
and Roger Blunt
. Tom Pritchard
, who played county cricket
for Warwickshire
for several seasons from 1946, was also a member of the New Zealand Services side.
scored 188 and though the New Zealanders declared their second innings with the game apparently saved, Leveson-Gower's XI hit 63 in 25 minutes to win.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
, but several of the one- and two-day matches were written up in Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
for 1946, and the team played three times at Lord's.
The side was captained by Ken James
Ken James (cricketer)
Kenneth Cecil James , was a cricketer who played for Wellington, Northamptonshire and New Zealand.A wicket-keeper and a useful batsman, James first played for Wellington in 1923 and came to England with the first New Zealand touring party in 1927 ostensibly as second string to Tom Lowry...
, who had toured England as a wicketkeeper with the 1927
New Zealand cricket team in England in 1927
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1927 season. The team contained many of the players who would later play Test cricket for New Zealand, but the tour did not include any Test matches and the 1927 English cricket season was the last, apart from the Second World War years and the...
and 1931
New Zealand cricket team in England in 1931
The New Zealand cricket team toured England in the 1931 season. The tour was the first tour by a New Zealand team in which Test matches were arranged. Originally, only one Test was planned, but New Zealand acquitted themselves so well in the first match and in the game against MCC that matches...
New Zealand teams, and played for Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
in the late 1930s as a professional. Other former and future Test
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
players in the team at different times included Stewie Dempster, Ted Badcock
Ted Badcock
Frederick Theodore Badcock was a New Zealand first-class and Test cricketer. Perhaps the best all-rounder in New Zealand in the inter-war period, he played seven Tests for New Zealand between 1930 and 1933, including New Zealand's inaugural Test in 1930...
, Martin Donnelly
Martin Donnelly (cricketer)
Martin Paterson Donnelly was a New Zealand Test cricketer and England Rugby Union player.Born in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand, Donnelly's twin brother Maurice died in the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. His sporting talent emerged quickly and Donnelly became known for his batting and fielding skills, as...
and Roger Blunt
Roger Blunt
Roger Charles Blunt played nine Tests for New Zealand....
. Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
Thomas Leslie Pritchard, born at Kaupokonui, Taranaki, New Zealand on 10 March 1917, was a cricketer who played most of his first-class cricket in England....
, who played county cricket
County cricket
County cricket is the highest level of domestic cricket in England and Wales. For the 2010 season, see 2010 English cricket season.-First-class counties:...
for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
for several seasons from 1946, was also a member of the New Zealand Services side.
First-class match
The one first-class match against Leveson-Gower's XI was lost by eight wickets. Donnelly scored 100 in the first innings and 86 in the second, and Badcock took six for 166 against a side that included several England Test players. But Len HuttonLen Hutton
Sir Leonard "Len" Hutton was an English Test cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England in the years around the Second World War as an opening batsman. He was described by Wisden Cricketer's Almanack as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket...
scored 188 and though the New Zealanders declared their second innings with the game apparently saved, Leveson-Gower's XI hit 63 in 25 minutes to win.